Random Acts of Kindness in Oak Park

Have you ever heard of Anne Herbert? No? Well maybe you've heard her quote "Practice random kindness and senseless acts of beauty." Isn't that quote, in itself, just beautiful? How difficult is it to practice random acts of kindness?

IT'S EASY. So easy, in fact, some people probably don't even realize they're doing it - random acts of kindness may just seem like good manners or simply being neighborly. In a tight-knit community like Oak Park, we can observe such acts on a daily basis.

Take our store, Divine Consign, where we observe such kind acts on a daily basis. Sometimes the simple act of opening the door for one of our young men carrying out an end table to a customer's car. We've seen perfect strangers offer to help load items into cars - or even offer to help customers bring items into our store.

Since we tend to be on the chatty side, we even hear from our customers about random acts of kindness they've benefited from - someone offering a quarter for the meter, a neighbor shoveling a front walk without being asked, a home-cooked meal brought after a new baby arrives, the list is long and wonderful!

I remember when I first moved to Chicago I was a young woman in need of directions. When I nervously asked for directions, rather than just pointing in the general direction, a perfect stranger walked with me for several blocks to show me the el train location. I don't remember what she looked like or even which station I was going to, but I remember that simple act of kindness and the impression it made on me.

Want to join the movement? Visit the Random Acts of Kindness website where you can get some great, simple, easy ideas on how to brighten someone's day or truly help someone in need.

Memorial Day SALE

We observe Memorial Day to honor American men and women who have given their lives for our country.

THANK YOU!

Why then, do all the stores have Memorial Day sales?

BECAUSE EVERYONE HAS THE DAY OFF, SILLY!

(except for retail salespeople but hey, we're okay with that)

Divine Consign and Trends are no different, we're observing Memorial Day with a COLOSSAL sale!

Divine Consign AND Trends are open on Memorial Day from 11am - 6pm and are ready to make some markdowns!

Now put down that hot dog, extinguish that firecracker, and come on out to SHOP 'TIL YOU DROP!

5 Ways to Update Your Sofa

Ahh, spring. Finally you are able to open our windows, breath in the fresh air, look around our home sanctuary and then BAM! You see it, your boring old sofa just sucking the new life out of your space.

You have a couple options including buying a new sofa, but not everyone has the budget for this. And maybe your sofa is just fine but needs a decorating tune-up!

Divine Consign to the rescue (again, you can thank us later)! You have several low-to-no budget options to freshen up your sofa and your space.

1) MOVE YOUR SOFA - sometimes it really is this easy. There are so many ways to organize your furniture in your room to give it a fresh start - get a helper and start schlepping away! 

There is an AWESOME website you can go to and arrange your room online! Check it out, so fun!  http://designedition50.icovia.com/icovia.aspx#fill

2) REUPHOLSTER YOUR SOFA - Is your sofa in good condition (maybe just needs a little stuffing) but the fabric is a goner? It costs a little more, but having your sofa reupholstered by a professional will make it look better than new - it'll be custom! (Divine Consign can help too - we have an in-house upholsterer!).

3) PURCHASE (or make) A SLIPCOVER - Basic budget-friendly slipcovers can be purchased at your local home decorating store, or they can be custom made. Can you sew? There are tons of slipcover patterns out there - give it a try!

4) REPLACE THE BACK & SEAT CUSHIONS - Okay, okay, maybe reupholstering your sofa or having custom slipcovers made is going a little overboard for you. Your sofa is just fine, just boring! How about covering or replacing just the back and seat cushions to create a whole new look?

5) ADD SIMPLE COLOR & TEXTURE - Easy & Cheap (not you, silly, your sofa). Decide on an accent color for your room, take a quick shopping trip, and outfit your space with simple pillows & throws to make your sofa look as good as new!

Divine Consign Featured in Suburban Focus Magazine!

We just love being published, don't you? How exciting it was to be published in Suburban Focus Magazine - May/June issue! Here is a snippet of what the page looks like with a great article about furniture consignment!

Pretty handy also is the prime location for our Trends ad! Want to get a better look? Click here to visit the Suburban Focus website, click on the Summer Planner issue and flip to page 31 - there we are!

93.9 Lite fm Home Makeover Promotion

Admit it, you're a home makeover show junkie! (don't worry, so are we - the therapy is a killer).


This month, 93.9 Lite fm is hosting a home makeover for a very deserving family. Divine Consign in thrilled to be part of this exciting project - we're donating $1500 worth of upholstery services to the lucky winner!


Want to be part of the action? Simply click on the 93.9 Lite fm link here  and sign up to win OR forward it to a deserving family.

Color of the Month - EMERALD GREEN

Ahhh, May. 

Fresh grass is sprouting, girls are in a shopping frenzy for prom, bicycles are making their way out of the garage, golf clubs are being dusted off, spring cleaning is in full swing.

This month, we are paying tribute to the color EMERALD GREEN.

It's no surprise the May birthstone is an emerald, that was one of our inspirations! We are surrounded by green in May, breathing in the fresh foliage that has burst forward this month (all that rain is good for something!). Arugula is now in season, why not go to the local farmers market and pick up a bunch?

Feeling inspired? Why not bring in that tired old love seat that's been bumming you out this winter and freshen it up with new (green!) upholstery at Divine Consign! Or how about making Emerald Green an accent color in your home? 

Repurposing China Cabinets

We'll admit it, china cabinets are not our favorite thing to consign. Unless it is a hip, Asian-inspired cabinet or a super unique piece, they're just hard to sell. Lifestyles these days call for less formal dining experiences and many families do not have complete china sets to display. What can a poor little consignment shop do?

INSPIRE - that's right, we inspire our customers to think out of the box. Repurposing is our middle name, you know, and we have some great ideas on how to repurpose china cabinets!

So don't feel too bad for us, we always find a way to make our consignors, our customers, and our furniture happy!

Have You Heard of Ligne Roset?

Ligne Roset [lingye rosay] is a luxury furniture manufacturer known for its artful collaborations with both established and up-and-coming talents in contemporary design.

Now, here's the cool part, WE HAVE A LIGNE ROSET TABLE IN OUR STORE!

Pretty impressive, eh?

This is quality furniture at its best - with a choice of materials ranging from solid wood to natural wood veneers, to glass and metal, one can expect perfection at every turn. What is most distinguishable about Ligne Roset is its tradition of investing in dynamic designer collaborations - resulting in some of the most exciting designer furniture.today.

Divine Consign is constantly surprised by the amazing furniture that walks through our doors - and we are more than happy to provide it to our customers for a fraction of retail prices. This Ligne Roset table for example? We're selling it for $734! Do you realize what a good deal that is? Tables like these retail for well over $3,000.

Want to read more about the Ligne Roset furniture company? click here

America's Next Top Model (Home) - Week Six

WEEK SIX - ACCENT FURNITURE and ACCESSORIES

Take a good look at your space - looking good, right? Time to add accent pieces. Accent pieces are the smaller pieces of furniture and accessories that make a room functional, but also give it some flair! Coffee & side tables, lamps, side chairs, mirrors, artwork, now is the time to wrap it all up.

Consider your zones and their function - do you need a stand for your printer in your home office? A table lamp for the desk? An ottoman or coffee table for the home entertainment area? Remember to consider multi-functional pieces that serve multiple purposes AND look great!

A bit over-decorated, don't you think?

The best thing about accent pieces is that they are typically much less expensive and you can go a bit wild & wacky or over-the-top luxurious to make the space your own. But remember to KISS (Keep It Simple Silly). When you have found the right accent furniture to meet the needs of each zone in your room, get it in the space. Now is your time to decide if you went overboard (take it back!) or if you need more.

A+ for accessorization - just right!

When accessorizing your space, consider proportion and symmetry. Just as with large furniture pieces, scale is important when accessorizing. Symmetry conveys formality and calming order. Asymmetry is more casual and has a bit of an edgy or unbalanced feel to the space - perfect if that is your intent. There is no "right" or "wrong" here - play around with the arrangement of your accessories to determine what is best for your space.

 

You're accessorizing, you're arranging... now STOP! Don't over-decorate! Know when to say when. Grab a bottle of bubbly, pop the cork and congratulate yourself on a job well done. And while you are sipping that well-deserved glass of bubbly, it is time to turn your well-trained design eye to the next room...